Abstract

To the editor: A letter (Ann Intern Med 83:84, 1975) adds a new phrase to medical jargon in addition to "fever spike." In its accompanying figure, the depicted febrile bout resembles a dagger more than a goalpost or a spike (daggerfever?). A spike is a large untapered nail. It is doubtful if fever ever rises and falls like the flash of a flashbulb. The "highest daily temperatures" shown in the graph obviously do not portray the whole febrile reaction. If more measurements had been recorded, the fever curve, no doubt, would appear blunted or humped (humpfever?).